Word game apparatus comprising die and score card



July 20, 1965 J. J. KRoPlNsKi 3,195,895

` WORD GAME APPARATUS COMPRISING DIE AND SCORE CARD Filed Sept. 11, 1962 IEM@ il 2 l@ u s r o 336%,

United States Patent O 3,195,895 WORD GAME APPARATUS `C(lll/.IIPRISING DIE AND SCRE CARD .lohn J. Kropinski, 45--36 39th Place, Long Island City, N.Y. Filed Sept. 11, 1962, Ser. No. 222,777 4 Claims. (Cl. 273-135) This invention relates to games, and more particularly to word games and an apparatus therefor.

One object of the present invention is to provide word game apparatus affording a word game of almost infinite variety. Another object is to provide word game apparatus which combines both chance and skill.

In one way of using the apparatus chance is used to set up new conditions each time the game is played, and the conditions then set up are uniform for all players, so that the outcome depends on the competitive skill of the players. In another form in which the same apparatus may be used, each player is subject to both chance and skill, and the outcome involves both.

yTo accomplish the foregoing general objects, and other more specific objects which will hereinafter appear, my invention resides in the apparatus elements and their relation one to another, as are hereinafter more particularly described in the following specification. The specification is accompanied by a drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a scoring folder, with letters and numerals written in to represent the operations of one player;

FIG. 2 is a transverse section taken in the plane of the line 2-2, and drawn to enlarged scale;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a numbers die forming a part of the game apparatus;

FIG. 4 is a view of the same die, looking in the direction of the arrow 4 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows a similarly shaped and dimensioned letters die; and

FIGS. 6 and 7 are different views of a letters die in somewhat simplified form.

Referring to the drawing, the word game apparatus comprises a letters die 12 (FIG. 5), a numbers die 14 (FIGS. 3 and 4), and a scoring folder 16 (FIGS. 1 and 2). As is evident from the drawing, the letters die 12 carries letters of the alphabet, and the numbers die 14 carries numerals. In preferred form the letters die 12 has twenty-six faces carrying all twenty-six letters of the alphabet. The numbers die 14 could be a simple cube carrying numbers l through 6, or a somewhat more complex shape carrying additional numbers, but in preferred form the two dice are kept similar in shape and dimension, as here shown. In such case the numbers die 14 has twenty-six faces, and in the present case numerals from 1 through 10 are employed, these being repeated to fill the faces of the die, as will later appear, Numbers from l through 9 might be used, in which case each numeral but one would appear three times on the die.

The scoring folder 16 has a complete bottom wall 18, and a windowed or apertured top wall 20, these being integrally joined at a top fold 22 which acts as a hinge. A side fold might be used instead. A blank sheet of paper 24 (FIG. 2) is readily slid into the folder by first lifting the top wall, as indicated in broken lines at Referring to FIG. 1, the scoring folder has a rst line of openings 26 to receive letters 28, which are written through the openings 26 onto the sheet of paper in the folder. There is a second line of openings 30 to receive numbers 32 which are written through the openings 30 onto the paper in the folder, these numbers representing the score values of the letters immediately thereabove.

Patented July 20, 1965 ICC The permanently printed letter L preceding the line 26 refers to letters, and the permanently printed letter V preceding the line 30 means value.

The folder also has a series of long openings or windows 34, 36, 38 etc., which may be identified by permanently printed numerals shown at the left. These lines 34, 36, etc. are intended to receive words made up by the player, from the letters 28 in the openings 26.

Finally, there are openings 40, 42, 44 etc. to receive the score value of a word written in the corresponding lines 34, 36, 38, etc. Another opening 4'6 may be provided at the bottom, in which the total score may be written.

The general nature of the letters die here shown may be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7 of the drawing. mutually perpendicular axes. Thus, in FIG. 6 there is a peripheral band made up of eight squares, the edges 0f which are indicated at 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57 and 58. In perpendicular relation there is a band of eight squares, three of which are shown at 59, 60 and 61. This adds six squares, the other two, that is, the top and bottom squares 51 and 55 being common. Then in the third perpendicular direction there is a third band of eight squares, three of which are shown at 62, 60 and 63. This adds four squares, the other four being common to the two bands previously mentioned. This adds to eighteen square faces. To complete the die there are eight triangular faces, the front four of which are shown at 64, 65, 66 and 67. Thus there are twenty-six faces in all, eighteen of which are square, and eight of which are triangular.

Similar description would, of course, apply to FIG. 7, which is a different view of the same die, with the die in each case resting on a square face.

In the preferred form twelve of the eighteen square faces are made rectangular rather than square, and the remaining six square faces have beveled corners. The eight triangular faces also have beveled corners. This will be seen in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, and results from enlarging the triangular faces to give them a larger area than they would have in the simplified basic form of the die shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8. In the simple form the area of the triangles is less than that of the squares, and there is accordingly a tendency of the die, when rolled, to stop on a square face more readily than on a triangular face. By removing additional material from the die at each triangular face, the latter are enlarged and the adjacent square faces are reduced, thus equalizing what might be called the stopping power, that is, the likelihood of the die coming to rest on any face. FIG. 5 shows the die resting on one of the slightly enlarged triangular faces.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show the numbers die, and in FIG. 3 it is resting on a square face with beveled corners (there being six such faces), while in FIG. 4 it is resting on a rectangular face (there being twelve such faces).

In playing the game the two dice may be rolled, either sequentially or simultaneously, and the roll of the dice determines the first letter and its score value to be inserted in the rst of the openings 26 and 30. Another roll of the dice determines the next letter and its score value. Thus the openings for the letters line L and the value line V are determined purely by chance.

If the dice are rolled sequentially the letters die could be rolled ten times for the ten letters, and the numbers die then rolled ten times for the respective score values. Incidentally, the number of letters used may differ from the ten here shown in the line L The players then seek to form words out of the letters, and these words are written in the lines 34, 36, etc. Each word is given a score value based on the total of the The die is octagonal in outline on each of three values of the letters used.A trated the score value'for the word must might be either 9 or 14, because there are vtwo letters U in the letters line L The higherscore value ishere used, but the rulesrcould provide that the lower scorevalue be used.

It willY be understood that there are a number of-y the folders 16,one for each player. These may be Vdifferently.

To determine which player goes rst each 'playerrollsf the numbers die, and the player rolling the highestY number goes first. The next highest thrownnumbergoes second, etc. Playing in rotation, the rst player rollsY the letters die, and-v the letter that comes up on the top of the die is the letter used.V For example, if Ais thrown v each. player writes the letter A inthe first square of the top row L on his scoring folder. I Y Y f The same player rollsrthefnumbers die, andthe ,number that comes up on top is the number used.` For example, if a 7 is thrown, Veach player'writes the number 7 in the rst square of the bottom row V on hisscor-y ing folder, directly'belowv the A, this being the point valueof the letter AJ The next player rolls asabove, f

first the letters die and then the numbersfdie,.until all ten squares are filled.

c After this part Yof the play goes first now. has to make a word using the letters thrown, and trying to makel a word with a high point value. A word up to tenletters may be made. Any word found in the dictionary may be used. The adding of an S4 to a word to make it pluralis not permissible. The player Writes the word he has rnade on his scoring folder across from the number 1 for his first word, and totaling his score for that word in the column at the end of the scoring folderl,r j Y i l Play continues as above, the next player making a word Vto givehim the highest' word value, and writing In the particular VcaseY illus is completed, the `player l t .V n e rived by one usually would not be derived by another, and the total number of Vw'ordshderived by the different players very probably would diifer. `The play may beV terminated by a clock time limit, or by announcement of one player that he has filled all ten lines with words. Here again, the player having. the highest total score would win.

In FIG. 4 of the drawing it will be noted that there is a dot to show the orientation of the numerals 6 and 9. Similarly in FIG. there is a dot to show Vthe orientation of the letters M and W.y The rules provide, in the case of those characters which can be Aread either way, that the dot always be located at the top, or, if preferred, that thedot always be located atthe bottom. In the alternative, printingmightbe used of'suchdesign that the characters cannot be read two ways.\ However, it is considered'safer and Vpreferable to employ Van indicator as here shown. rInstead of a dot a horizontal line may be provided beneath the character, to show its proper orientation.

The rules of the game lbe `slightly elaborated to take care of some rare situations which would rarely arise in practice. 'One isVV ifythe letters rolled ,to illthe letters line L are all vowels,or kare all consonants; In such ,caseit maybe provided that o n reaching the last window 26 (or if desired, the last two windows 26), a party kmay have any number of successive free rolls untilhe rolls a consonant (or a vowel, as may be needed); 'f

' on skill.

vAs sov fardescribed the element of chance is used in will be'dependent on a combination of both chance and the word, and the total value of the word, on his scoring v folder. Play alternates from player to yplaye'r'until each player has made vten words, or if each player cannot make ten words each, until no" more words can be made bythe players. l The playerwith the highest total score winsl the game.

' No word can be duplicated. Also, of the' thrown .let-r ters, the same letter cannot be used twice in the isam'e word. Of the, thrown letters, if two of the Ysame letters are thrown, each can be used in a word; also, if two of the same letters are thrown, theV letter with the highest point value ofl two used vin aword can 'be scored. Y Forv example, lsuppose two Asf arethrown and the 'first A counts nine points, and the other A counts two points. If now a wordy with a singley A is made, theplayer can score the highest A or nine pointsin that word. When two As are used in a single word, one A kcountsnine and the other AV countstwo.r Y

VIt" of the thrown letters` no .words can be made, the

'Y players agree to 'roll again for' more'favorable letters.,V

are exposed during the play. However, the game may be'` skill.

The materials employed for the apparatus are not at all critical, and may be varied. The dice may be molded of a plastics material. The letters and numerals may be applied in a separate operation, or maybe Vmolded'into the faces yduring Vthe molding operation, with coloring applied subsecuiently.y The scoring folder 16 is preferably made. of a sheet plastics,material. It will be understood that the folder is a convenience'in making it `possible to use Vordinary blank sheets Vofl paperthese being inexpensive and expendable. However, the game. might be played without a folder, but using a padV of specially printed scor- .i words, and scoring.

ing paper with printed'boxes to locatethe letters, values,

It is believed that they construction and method of use of my improved game apparatus, as wellr as the advantages thereof, will befapparent from the foregoing descripv tion. A lesser number offacescould beprovided for the to be defined in the I claim Y ll. 'A word, game,apparatusV comprising a letters die, a numbers die, and a' scoring foldensaid letters die having faces carrying diiferent singleletters of the alphabet, said numbers die Vcarrying numerals, said scoring folder having f a rst line of openings to receive letters on a sheet of played in different fashion,-rwithV all of the 'players derivi ing words simultaneously, but insecret from one another. In such case some of the words derived may be the same for all players, but atleast vsome words successfully de'- paper in the folder, ,a second line of openings therebeneath to receive numbersV representing the score values of the individual letters, a'series of elongated linefopenings for receiving words made up of theletters, and an opening foreach line opening to receive the' score-value of a word written inV that line opening.Y Y

2. A wordggarne apparatus comprising a letters die,

a numbers die, and a scoring folder, said letters die having twenty-six faces carrying the twenty-six letters of the alphabet, said numbers die carrying numerals from one to ten, said scoring folder having a first line of openings to receive letters on a sheet of paper in the folder, a second line of openings therebeneath to receive numbers representing the score values of the individual letters, a series of elongated line openings for receiving words made up of the letters, and an opening for each line opening to receive the score value of a word Written in that line opening.

3. A Word game apparatus comprising a letters die, a numbers die, and a scoring folder, said letters die having twenty-six faces carrying the twenty-six letters of the alphabet, said numbers die being similarly shaped and dimensioned but carrying numerals from one to ten with repeat numerals to fill the twenty-six faces, said scoring folder having a rst line of openings to receive letters on a sheet of paper in the folder, a second line of openings therebeneath to receive numbers representing the score values of the individual letters, a series of elongated line openings for receiving words rnade up of the letters, and an opening for each line opening to receive the score value of a word Written in that line opening.

4. A Word game apparatus comprising a letters die having twent -six faces carrying the twenty-six letters of the alphabet, said die being octagonal when viewed on three mutually perpendicular axes, and having eighteen approximately rectangular and eight approximately triangular faces, said triangular faces being enlarged somewhat in area relative to the adjacent approximately rectangular faces in order to give the triangular faces a stopping power approximately equal to that of the other faces, the die being reduced in size by moving the trangular faces inward in order to enlarge the said triangular faces, whereby twelve of the rectangular faces have unequal sides, and six have beveled corners, and the triangular faces have beveled corners.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 543,251 7/95 Jessup 273--134 X 1,054,341 2/13 Cowles 273-146 2,380,106 7/45 Hilton 273-135 2,673,413 3/54 Weber.

DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner. 

1. A WORD GAME APPARATUS COMPRISING A LETTERS DIE, A NUMBERS DIE, AND A SCORING FOLDER, SAID LETTERS DIE HAVING FACES CARRYING DIFFERENT SINGLE LETTERS OF THE ALPHABET, SAID NUMBERS DIE CARRYING NUMERALS, SAID SCORING FOLDER HAVING A FIRST LINE OF OPENINGS TO RECEIVE LETTERS ON A SHEET OF PAPER IN THE FOLDER, A SECOND LINE OF OPENINGS THEREBENEATH TO RECEIVE NUMBERS REPRESENTING THE SCORE VALUES OF THE INDIVIDUAL LETTERS, A SERIES OF ELONGATED LINE OPENINGS FOR RECEIVING WORDS MADE UP OF THE LETTERS, AND AN OPENING FOR EACH LINE OPENING TO RECEIVE THE SCORE VALUE OF A WORD WRITTEN IN THAT LINE OPENING. 